Wii U gets a Google Maps injection, bonus dose of Panorama View

Google Maps has now been incorporated in a downloadable app for the Wii U that will be available from January 2013. Combining the Wii touchscreen Gamepad, you can move around Street View in the same way as you can on Google Earth. In this however, the Gamepad doubles as your street view while your TV provides the top down view.

At today’s Nintendo Direct Webcast, president Satoru Iwata demonstrated at the Nintendo Direct conference in Japan how the app would work together with the Gamepad and TV, also showing how Panorama View will offer specially shot 360-degree videos on the GamePad. Iwata, known for his sometimes comical behaviour, was seen walking around with a helmet cam and appearing in a Lego form for the announcement of Lego City Undercover. A video of the conference can be viewed here.

Nintendo in Europe has a conference in the UK today as well, but will focus on the 3DS and Wii U titles to be released next year. It is not known if any extra news will be revealed. The Google Maps and Street View app will be downloadable next January 2013 for free for a limited time, whereafter users will need to buy the app.